Automatic train signal and control device



May 11 1926. 1,584,696

C. H. WATT ET AL AUTOMATIC TRAIN SIGNAL AND QQNTROL DEVICE Fi led Nov. 5. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I TORS; I 13? WITNESSES May 11 c. H. WATT ET AL AUTOMATIC TRAIN SIGNAL AND common DEVICE Filed Nov. 5, 1924 g Sheets-Sheet 2 m k g v m m fi WITNESSES ATTORNEY Patented May 11, 1926.

UNITED STATEfi PATENT, oFicE.

CHARLES HENRY WATT AND FRANK G. N JEGUS, OF AMHERST, NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA, ASSIGNORS TO WATTNEGUS AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROL COMPANY, LIMITED,

013 AMHERST, NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN SIGNAL AND CONTROL DEVICE.

Application filed November 5, 1924. Serial No. 747,919.

This invention I relates to an improved train signal and control device, the general object of which is to give warning to engi neers and'train crews of the presence of another train, either in advance or in rear of the train on which it is installed, and to automatically stop the train in case the warning is disregarded. It is also preferred to enclose the mechanism carried by 19 the train so that itcan not be tampered with by theengineer, but to allow the same to be reset after the warning or stopping operation has been performed, by one of the train men, other thanthe engineer, so that a proper record will be kept of. its operation.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide mechanism for the purpose stated which is simple and easily installed, not liable to get out of repair easily, or to be impaired by snow, rain or other elements, and to permit of the mechanism being utilized in connection with the direct current generator usually carried on the train.

Another object of the invention is to provide means of communication, such as a telephone, whereby communication may be established between trains which have been stopped by the operation of the control mechanism.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will be more specifically explained in the following detailed description, which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating one embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the track wiring, and the switches and circuit breakers connected therewith.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of the Figure 7 is a side elevation of a contact which is adapted to connect the train equip ment with the track wiring.

Figure 8 is a side elevation of a device for bleeding the air pipe line on the train to set the brakes.

Figure 9 is a top plan view of the air bleeding device with the surrounding housing and the pipe line shown in section.

Referring now especiallyto Figures 1 and 2, the invention is shown in connection wlth a railroad track 10, along which runs anelectric wire made up of sections 11,

each of which may be three hundred feet long or more. conduit underneath the ground, or may be supported on telegraph poles alongside the track. 12 leading to a switch 13 located underneath one of the track rails, and adapted, under certain conditions, to establish connection between said section 11 and a wire 14 which This wire may be laid in a Each wire section .11 has a branch is grounded. For the present purpose, the

16 whenever a train passes over the same.

Each of the switches 13,- as shown 1n- Figures 3, a and 5 comprises a closed housing 17, preferably filled with oil which will not freeze, and containing a lever 18 intermediately fulcrumed on a pivot bolt 19, which is located underneath the rail of the track 10, and supported .in bearings 20 secured to the bottom of the housing. Light coil springs 21, surrounding the pivot bolt 19, are adapted to hold the lever 18 normally in proper position to be actuated when the train passes over the same. The lever 18 carries a switch blade 22, which is normally connected to the wire 14, and which, when depressed, is adapted to form an electrical contact with the jaws 23, which are electrically connected to the branch wire 12. The housing 17 is located underneath the track rail, and extends upwardly at each side of the same. Plungers 2t and 25 are pivotally connected to the respective. ends of the lever 18 and extend upwardly through the housing, being surrounded by water-tight glands to prevent snow or rain interfering with the operation of the switch. Above the plungers 2 L and 25, bow-shaped contacts 26 and 27 respectively, are slidably mounted on bolts 28 secured to adjacent ties, and these contacts are normally held up out of contact with the respective plungers by coil springs 29. Each train is equipped with a roller 30 located near the front end of the train, and a roller 31 located toward the rear end thereof. These rollers are located in such a position that as the train passes, the roller 30 rides over the contact 26, forcing the plunger 2% downwardly and closing the switch and the roller 31 rides over the contact 27, forcing the plunger 25 downwardly and opening the switch. The jaws 23 are sufiiciently resilient to frictionally hold the blade 22 against the action of the springs 21, so that the switch remains closed from the time when the roller 30 on the front end of the train passes over the switch until the roller 31, toward the rear end of the train, passes over the same.

The circuit breaker 16, as shown in Figure 6, carries a depending plunger 32, having a cross head 33 at its lower end which may be protected from the water in the same manner as the lever 18, and which normally bridges the contacts 34: to which the adjacent ends of the wires 15 and 11 are connected. The circuit breaker 16 is slidably mounted on bolts secured in adjacent ties, and is normally held by springs 36 in its. uppermost position. but is adapted to be depressed by means hereinafter de scribed whenever a train passes, thereby breaking the connection between the wires 15 and 11 Each train carries a shoe 41 in position to engage and depress. the contact 37, and a roller 42 slightly in rear and to one side of the shoe 41 and adapted to engage the circuit breaker 16 to break the connection between the wire section 15. and the wire section. 11 which is toward the rear of the train, the connection with the section 11 which is in front of the train. being left closed.

Figure 2 illustrates diagrammatically the electrical equipment of three trains A, B. and C. Train A and train B are represented as traveling toward each other from opposite directions, and train C is followingtrain B. Each train, as above explained, carries a shoe 4.1 adapted to engage the contact 37, and a roller 4-2, which at approximately the same time engages the cir cuit breaker 16, interrupting the circuit from the contact 37 to the wire section 11 which is toward the rear. The generator i2) is of the direct current type usually carried on trains, and its negative terminal grounded by a wire it to the running: gear of the train. The positive terminal of the generator is connected by a wire 15 to the armature -16 of a magnetic coil 27. The circuit leads from the wire 4-5 through the armature e6, wire 48, coil 1-7, wire 1-?) and resistance 50, thence through an innicizting instrument 51, bell 52, signal light 53;, wire 5 switch and wire to the shoe 4-1. As soon as the shoe 4:1 is connected to ground, as hereinafter explained. the circuit from the generator 43 through the coil e7, the indicator and the signals is completed, the armature 46 is immediately attracted toward the magnet. closing a circuit from the generator 13 through wire 15, armature 46, contact 57, wire 58 to a motor 59 carried by the train. thence through a wire (30 back to the generator. The armature is so arranged t] at. it the current is strong enough. although the circuit through the coil 4-7 may he closed only a short time, the armature engages the contact 57, and remains in that position. until released by the train crew.

As train A travels past each switch 13, the roller 30, near the front end of the train, closes the switch, and the switch remains closed until opened by the roller 31. which is located near he rear end oi the train. ll the time this switch is opened. the roller 30 has reached the next switch 13. so that as the train travels along, passing the switches 13 one after another. there is one switch which is closed all of the time. and consequently one of the sections ll. in thc immediate vicinity of train it is grounded. As train 13 approaches 'lrom the opposite direction, each time that the roller 42 engages the circuit breaker 16,. the shoe 41 engages the contact 37. The connection between this contact 37 and the section ii to the rear thereof is thus broken, but all of the circuit breakers 16 intervening between the shoe ii on train B- and the Section 11, which has been grounded by train A, remain closed. A. circuit therefore. established from the generator 4-3 through the shoe -11, coil 17, indicator 51. signals 52 and 53. shoe -11 and the wire sections 15 and 11. which intervene between train 13 and train A. The circuit pa s then from the wire section 11. which is g ounded by train A. back through the wire 1% on train P) to the generator. The resistance in this circuit varies directly with the distance between the trains, and the current varies inyerscly therewith, and the di:--

ce bet in the trains may he rhrtc-rmincd by the reading on the ins. or l .re 1*.

sistance 50 and the magnetic coil 17 are so proportioned that the current will be sufficientto actuate the signals 52 and 53 to warn the engineer when the trains approach within a predetermined distance of each other, and the armature 46 will be actuated to engage the contact .57 and operate the motor 59 only when the trains are close enough so that there is danger of a head-on collision.

\Vhen the motor 59 is set in operation, it sets the air brakes by means of the mechanism shown in Figures 8 and 9. As therein shown, the motor 59 is mounted in a casing 61 through which passes a pipe 62, which is connected with the air brake line. A bleed hole 63 is formed in the pipe 62, within the casing 61, and is normally closed by a sleeve valve'6 l. A crank disk 65 is'secured to the shaft of the motor 59, and is provided with a' wrist pin 66. A lever 67, pivoted at one end, as at 68, to the motor, has a slot 69 through which the wrist pin 66 projects, and near the end of the lever is a slot 70 through which projects a pin 71 secured to the sleeve valve 64. As soon as the motor is set in operation, therefore, the crank disk 65 is rotated, and the lever 67 is oscillated to move the sleeve valve 64: up and down, permitting the gradual escape of the air from the air brake line, and bringing the train to a stop.

It will be understood that the engineer on train A is apprised of the proximity of train B in the same manner in which the engineer I of train B is apprised of the proximity of train A. Train A will also bebrought to a stop in the'same manner as train B.

When train C approaches too closely to train B, as indicated in Figure 2, the circuitthrough the magnetic coil, the indicator and the signals'on train C will be closed in the same manner as in the case where the two trains are traveling toward each other. Thus, the engineer on train C will be warned, and if necessary the brakes on train C will be automatically set. Since train B, however,"is traveling away from train C, it is not necessary to apprise the engineer of train B of the fact that a train is approaching from the rear, and he will not be so apprised for the reason that as soon as the shoe 41 engages the contact 37, the roller 42 engages the circuit breaker 16 between the shoe 41- and train C.

Provision is also made for communication between trains when they have been brought to a stop. For this purpose, a second contact 72 is located adjacent to the switch 55 on each train, and this contact is connected to the ground wire 44: by a circuit 73, which passes through abattery 74 and a telephone 7 5. By reversing the manually operated switch 55, therefore, on each train telephone communication may be established.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that we have provided a system by which the engineer of the train willbe apprised by both an audible signal and a visual signal whenever he approaches dangerously close to a train ahead of him, going either in the same or in the opposite direction. Upon reference to the indicator 51, he may determine approximately how far away the other train is located. In case he fails to heed the warning signal, the train is automatically brought to a stop by the operation of the motor 59. The train can not be started again until the armature 46 has been reset. By means of the telephone communication between the trains, there may be obtained a complete understanding between the two train crews as to what action to take.

' While we have shown one practical embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that this is merely illustrative and that various modifications may be made in the arrangement of the various parts thereof without any material departure from the salient features of the invention. It is, therefore, our intention to include all such modifications within the scope of the ap pended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A train control system comprising a circuit wire made up of sections arranged in series along the track, a switch for each alternate section and operable to connect it to ground, a stationary contact permanently connected to each of the other sections, circuit breakers normally in position to connect all of the wire sections in series, and train equipment comprising means for closing' each switch as the train passes and subsequently opening the same, a generator, means for establishing a connection from the generator through the stationary contact, means for opening the circuit breaker which is in rear of said stationary contact, the circuit through the generator on one train being completed, in casethere is a'train ahead of the first-mentioned train,

through one of said switcheswhich is acly opening the same, a generator on each train, means for establishing a connection from the generator through the stationary contact the circuit from the generator on one train being completed, in case there is a train ahead of the first-mentioned train,

through one of said switches which is actuated by the second train, an instrument in said circuit for indicating approximately the distance between the trains, and a warning signal in said circuit adapted to be actuated when the distance between the trains is less than a predetermined minimum.

3; A train control system comprising a circuit wire made up of sections arranged in series along the track a switch for each alternate section and operable to connect it to ground, a stationary contact permanently connected to each of the other sections, circuit breakers normally in position to connect all of the wire .tions in series, and train equipment comprising means for closing each switch as a trainpasses and subsequently opening the same, a generator on each train, means for establishing a connection from the generator through the stationary contact, the circuit from the generator on one train being completed, in case there is a train ahead of the first mentioned train, through one of said switches which is closed by the second train, a motor on each train, means for establishing a circuit from the generator on the first-mentioned trainthrough the motor to-actuate the latter in' case the train ahead is dangerously close, and means operable by the motor, when actuated to set the brakes.

i. A train control system comprising a circuit wire made up of sections arranged along the track, av switchfor each alternate section and operable to connect it to ground, a stationary contact. permanently connected to eachot the other sections, circuit breakers normally in posit-ion to connect all the wire sections in'series, and train equipment comprising means for closing each switch and subsequently opening the same, a generator on each train, means for establishing a connection. from the generator to each. stationany contact as the train passes the same, a cireuitbeing thereby established, in case two trains-are approaching each other from opposite directions, from the generator on each train through the stationary contact and through the switch which has been closed by the-other train, a motor on each train, meansactuated by theeurrentthrough said circuit, when thetrains are dangerously near eacln other, for connecting the motor to the generator, and means operable by the motor, when so connected, to set the brakes.

A train control system comprising a circuit wire made up of sections arranged in series along the track, a switch for each alternate section and operable to connect it to ground, a stationary contact permanently connected to each of the other sections, circuit breakers normally in position to connect allot the wire sections in series, and train equipment comprising means for 010s ing each switch as a train passes and subsequently opening the same, a generator on each train, means for establishing a connection from the generator through the stationary contact, the circuit from the generator on one train being con'iplcted, in case there is a train ahead of the first-mentioned train, through one of said switches which is closed by the second train, a motor on each train, means for establishing a circuit from the generator on either train through the motor to actuate the latter in case the train ahead is dangerously close, means operable by the motor, when actuated to set the brakes, and manually operable means {or establishing telephonic communication between the two trains after they have been stopped.

6. A train control system comprising a circuit wire made of sections arranged along the track, a switch for each alternate section and operable to connect it to ground, a stationary contact permanently connected to each of the other sections, circuit breakers normally in position to connect all of the wire sections in series, and train equipment comprising means for closing each switchas a train passes and subsequently opening the same, a generator on each train, means for establishing a connection from the generator to each stationary contact as the train )asses the same, a circuit being thereby established, in case one train is following another, from the generator on the rear train throughthe stationary contact and through the switch which has been closed by the foremost train, a. signal in said circuit adapted to be actuated when the distance between the trains is less than a predetermined minimum, and means for opening the circuit breaker in rear of each stationary contact as the latter is connected to the generator so that the circuit through the generator of the foremost train can not be completed by the closing of a switch by the rear train.

7. A train control system comprising a circuit wire made up of sections arranged along the track, a switch for each alternate section and operable to connect it to ground, a stationary contact permanently connected to each of the other sections, circuit breakers normally in position to connect all of the wire sections in series, and train equipment comprising means for closing each switch as a train passes and subsequently opening the same, a generator on each train, means for establishing a connection from the generator to each stationary contact as the train passes the same, a circuit being thereby established, in case one train is following another, from the generator on the rear train through the stationary contact and through the switch which has been closed by the foremost train, a motor on each train, means adapted to be actuated by the current, when a circuit is established from the generator through the stationary contact, to establish a circuit from the generator through the motor, means operable by the motor when so connected to set the brakes, and means for opening the circuit breaker in rear of each stationary contact as the latter is connected to the generator so that a circuit through the generator of the foremost train can not be completed by he closing of a switch by the rear train.

8. A train control system comprising a circuit wire made up of sections arranged along the track, a switch for each alternate section and operable to connect it to ground, a stationary contact permanently connected to each of the other sections, circuit breakers normally in position to connect all of the wire sections in series, and train equipment comprising means for closing each switch as a train passes and subsequently opening the same, a generator on each train, means for establishlnga connection from the generator to the stationary contact, the circuit from the generator on one train being completed, in case there is a train ahead of the firstmentioned train, through one of said switches which is actuated by the second train, a magnetic coil and armature in said circuit, a second circuit, an electric motor adapted to be actuated by the second circuit, said second circuit having a contact normally open, but

adapted to be closed by said armature to connect it to the generator when a current of sufiicient strength passes through the coil to attract the armature, the strength of the current through the first circuit varying inversely with the distance between the trains, and means operable by the motor, when the second circuit is closed, to set the brakes.

9. In a train controlling device, the combination of an electric motor operable when actuated to apply the brakes and bring the train gradually to a stop, a generator, a circuit connected therewith and adapted to be closed only when there is a train ahead, a magnetic coil, and armature in said circuit, and a second circuit through the motor having a contact which is normally open, but adapted to be closed by said armature to connect said second circuit to the generator when a current of suificient strength passes through the coil to attract the armature, the strength of the current through the first circuit varying inversely with the distance between the trains.

In'testimony, that we claim the foregoing as our own, we have hereto affixed our signatures.

CHARLES H. WATT. FRANK e. NEGUS. 

